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Shelby Parlow
Shelby Parlow is a recurring character in the FX series Justified. Shelby was formerly a security agent for the Black Pike Mining Company where Boyd Crowder worked at the beginning of Season 2. Originally, he was to be killed in a mine heist organized by Kyle Easterly, but Boyd saved his life, and because of this he covers for Boyd when the cops show up. Shelby is the current Sheriff of Harlan County, after it is revealed Tillman Napier's estranged sister Hanna is on County Clerk Harvey Jones's payroll thanks to some assistance from Boyd, and under election rules, Napier has to relinquish his title to the runner-up (being Shelby). Shelby is portrayed by guest star Jim Beaver. Biography Background Shelby formerly worked as the chief of security for the Black Pike Mining Company. Before working for Black Pike, Shelby worked for the Harlan Police Department for 20 years. After the events in "Cottonmouth", Shelby was "let go" from the mining business and became a greeter at Mega Shop. Season 2 In "Cottonmouth", Shelby is forced by Kyle Easterly, Marcus, Pruitt, and Boyd Crowder to open the safe containing all of the money. The plan was to make it seem like Shelby stole the money and attempted to escape into the mines, where he accidently blew himself up. However, Boyd learned that he was to die as well, so he managed to flip the tables on his accomplices by blowing them up via switching the charges out of the detonators in his truck. Boyd asks Shelby to cover for him and say that he was called home due to an emergency, and Shelby agrees to do so as Boyd had saved his life. Season 3 In "The Man Behind The Curtain", Boyd calls him to the bar where they have a talk about their personal lives. Shelby reveals he is working as a greeter at Mega Shop. Boyd asks him if he would like a change in occupation and asks him to run against the current Harlan sheriff Tillman Napier, who is backed by Robert Quarles, in the upcoming election. In "Loose Ends", Napier and Shelby are having their first debate. Napier clearly has the upper-hand in the debate (due to being the more experienced lawman of the two and his advantage from County Clerk Harvey Jones). Boyd soon arrives and manages to help Shelby's case out by explaining that Shelby was implicated in a robbery by the hated Black Pike Coal -- and who would believe that dishonest firm? The charismatic Boyd soon has the crowd in a frenzy. "I'm not saying you're a bad man, Mr. Napier, but I do know that you've been feeding too long at the public trough!" Boyd says. The crowd cheers. Harvey pounds his gavel, but it's drowned out. In "Guy Walks Into a Bar", Shelby catches Napier's deputies Nick Mooney and Ethan Bishop planting drugs in his truck. Shelby forces the two men to leave at gunpoint, saying that he has been diagnosed with liver cancer and has no problem bringing two police officers down with him if he has to. Shelby also offers the men a position on his staff if he wins. Nick tells Shelby that he knows he is working for Boyd Crowder, and Bishop takes the drugs out of Shelby's truck as he goes to leave. Shelby relays the event back to Boyd, who is now angered that Napier's side is playing dirty, and tells Boyd that he basically told the two men what they wanted to hear. While everyone is gathered around at Johnny's bar, Boyd announces that Napier has won re-election. However, Shelby (along with County Clerk Harvey Jones) show up at Napier's office with bad news. Due to Napier's estranged sister Hanna being on Harvey's payroll, Napier has to relinquish his title as Sheriff to the runner-up of the election since it is election rules, making Shelby the new Harlan County Sheriff until the next election in three months. In "Slaughterhouse", Shelby (who is on his first day as Sheriff) calls Boyd and warns him that there is a warrant out on Boyd over Devil's murder and that the Marshals and State Troopers have Ava Crowder's house surrounded. Shelby feels that warning Boyd makes them "square" now since Boyd saved Shelby's life and gave him a second chance at doing something right in his life. Season 4 In "Where's Waldo?", Boyd visits him in order to obtain a police file on the Last Chance Salvation Church. Shelby gives him the file, under the condition that Boyd no longer associates himself with Shelby, as he thought he made it clear before that they were "square". Shelby says that Billy and Cassie St. Cyr have been to multiple towns in the past year, saving souls and moving along. Shelby believes that the church might be trying to help people, but Boyd disagrees, believing the church moves around to hurt various drug enterprises. In "The Bird Has Flown", Sheriff Shelby Parlow is seen looking on his computer and finds no autopsy reports for Drew Thompson. Cassie St. Cyr comes in for questioning. Shelby asks her if she knows anything on Boyd that he can charge him for. Cassie tells him that Boyd is a drug pusher, he attempted to bribe her to move their church, and that he sent thugs to the church to scare them. Shelby asks if there is anything else, but she asks him isn't that enough. Cassie vows that Boyd will have his reckoning one day. Shelby asks Boyd (who was listening in the entire time via speaker phone) if he is satisfied before hanging up on him. In "Kin", Colton Rhodes visits him looking for Ellen May, who escaped at the gas station the night before. Shelby reveals that he hasn't heard anything, but Colt doesn't buy it because of noticing the police car on the surveillance camera. Colt re-visits him and Shelby tells him that one of his deputies noticed a woman fiitting Ellen May's descriptiong getting into a long-haul truck with a man she recognized. Colt tells Shelby to call him directly if he hears anything. It is revealed that Ellen May is hiding out in Shelby's office, and now believes his story that Boyd and Ava were trying to kill her. Shelby asks for her assistance in taking down Boyd. Relationships *Boyd Crowder: Employee, associate *Kyle Easterly: Employee, would be assassin (Killed by Boyd) *Pruitt: Employee, would be assassin (Killed by Boyd) *Marcus: Employee, would be assassin (Killed by Boyd) *Tillman Napier: Sheriff election opponent Memorable Quotes • "The way I see it, this is my last chance to make something useful of myself before I head to the wrong side of the grass." to Deputies Mooney and Bishop Appearances Category:Season 2 Characters Category:Season 3 Characters Category:Season 4 Characters Category:Characters Category:Recurring Characters